Gentle Snark
Brothers Ryōichirō and
Ken'ichi Yoshida are masters of the shamisen, the three-stringed
instrument whose peculiar, almost insectlike twang is invariably one of
the first things that pops into my head whenever I think of Japan.
May 16, 2008
Gentle Snark
In her latest Pet Dish entry, NWsource blogger Lisa Wogan writes about local pet owners whose ink has gone to the dogs. Do you have a tattoo of your beloved dog, cat, fish, bird, sugar glider or some such critter? If you do -- and it's on a work-safe part of your anatomy -- we'd love for you to share it with Seattle. Send your pet tattoo photos to petdish@nwsource.com, and we'll post them in a new gallery.
May 15, 2008
Convergence Zone
Ready or not and weather or not, the summer street fair season begins Saturday, May 17, with the 39th Annual U District StreetFair. For two days, five blocks of University Way -- from Northeast 41st to Northeast 50th -- will be completely closed to vehicles, allowing you to freely peruse the wares of some 300 arts and crafts dealers, and to enjoy performances by dozens of musicians and performers on three stages.
May 14, 2008
Gentle Snark
Neil Diamond is coming to KeyArena, Moby is coming to Neumos and Madonna is coming to Seattle not at all. Were we bad? Are we being punished?
May 13, 2008
Gentle Snark
A band named for a law enforcement agency shouldn't make me want to go out and break the law. Tokyo Police Club does. Whenever "Cheer It Down" or "Box" comes up in iTunes I am filled the urge to commit immature trangressions against people and property, but here's the thing: I don't want to actually hurt anyone doing it. I just want some Bellevue dude to find his mailbox covered in pancake batter and shake his fist at my getaway Zipcar, screaming "You wild kid, yuh!"
May 12, 2008
Gentle Snark
Your mother gives and gives and gives, and what do you give back?
Nothing but heartache. Did you have to get that tattoo? And is she ever
going to have a grandchild? The least you could do for her this
Mother's Day is buy her something sweet-smelling or pretty, or take her to brunch someplace nice. You always were a good kid, you know, even if that tattoo makes you look like some kind of criminal.
May 8, 2008
Gentle Snark
You can disparage Ballard as you will -- "not as cool as it once was," "too many condos," "Geoff Carter lives there" -- but you can't deny that its residents give a hell of a lot of money to listener-supported radio. In recognition of the neighborhood's solid fundraising efforts during last summer's pledge drive, KEXP will be broadcasting live from Ballard from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday, May 9.
May 8, 2008
Convergence Zone
Opening in Wallingford this Saturday, Molly Moon's Homemade Ice Cream promises to be to ice cream what another Wallingford favorite, Mighty-O, is to doughnuts.
May 8, 2008
Gentle Snark
I don't put away the cheeseburgers the way I used to. Damn you, borderline cholesterol levels! Tasty burgers have become something I have to work up to -- the reward at the end of a long road paved with salads and tofu.
May 7, 2008
Gentle Snark
No one can bring the noise to a sports arena quite like Nine Inch Nails can. The Nails' Trent Reznor has created so many uniquely alien sounds that I could have written this preview wholly in onomatopoeia. "Head Like a Hole" goes bahnahnahnahnah. "Wish" goes graownownownow. "Closer" goes boomp-thwomp.
May 6, 2008